Rethinking Injury Management in the Demolition Industry
Given the limitations of LTIFR and TRIFR, the demolition industry must adopt a more proactive approach to injury management. By shifting the focus from tracking past incidents to preventing future injuries, companies can create a safer and healthier working environment.
No clear link to fatalities: Research shows that injury frequency rates (TRIFR and LTIFR) do not predict fatalities.
Random variation: 96-98% of changes in TRIFR are due to random variation, making these metrics unreliable indicators of safety.
Not accurate: TRIFR doesn’t reflect the real state of safety performance. Reporting it to decimal points is statistically meaningless unless a company tracks millions of worker hours.
Not predictive in the short term: TRIFR only has predictive value over very long periods (100+ months).
May discourage reporting: A focus on these metrics can lead to non-reporting of injuries to maintain low numbers, undermining real injury management.
The Demolition Industry: A High-Risk Sector
Demolition is one of the highest-risk sectors in construction, primarily due to uncertainty and limited information on projects. Demolition teams face challenges like time, noise, access, and clearance restrictions, which increase physical demands and risks from unpredictable hazards.
In New Zealand, the construction industry has high injury rates, with 38,600 injury claims in 2021—17% of all claims. Muscular stress from lifting or handling objects is the most common injury type and is rising. To address these risks effectively, demolition companies must adopt proactive injury management strategies.
Increased physical risks: Demolition involves high physical demands (lifting, carrying, etc.) and is more injury-prone than other sectors of construction.
Environmental challenges: Limited site access, noise restrictions, and tight timelines increase the unpredictability and risk of injury in demolition work.
Most common injury: Muscular stress from lifting and carrying objects is the leading cause of injury and is rising in the industry.
High injury rate: The construction sector had 38,600 injury claims in 2021, with demolition as the riskiest sub-sector.
Early Reporting and Physiotherapy Intervention
To reduce long-term injuries, workers should be encouraged to report discomfort or minor injuries early, especially in demolition, where muscular stress from lifting is common. Early engagement with physiotherapists helps prevent minor issues from becoming serious, offering targeted interventions like exercises or ergonomic adjustments. This approach shortens recovery time and prevents long-term damage.
Early intervention: Reporting discomfort or minor injuries early and involving physiotherapists can prevent escalation to serious injuries.
Physiotherapy over GPs: Physiotherapists can provide targeted recovery plans, whereas GPs often issue medical certificates for extended leave, which may not promote a speedy recovery.
Active rehabilitation: Early involvement allows employers to plan modified duties and rehabilitation, getting workers back to work faster and reducing long-term absenteeism.
Reducing Time Off with Active Rehabilitation
When injuries do occur, involving physiotherapists from the outset can also help reduce the time workers spend away from the job. Unlike general practitioners (GPs), who may be more inclined to issue medical certificates for extended time off, physiotherapists take a more active role in the rehabilitation process. They work with the injured worker to develop a structured rehabilitation plan, with clear goals for returning to work. This allows the company to stay engaged in the recovery process, ensuring that the worker receives the necessary treatment and support to return to work as quickly and safely as possible.
In contrast, relying solely on GPs can result in longer recovery times. GPs may issue medical certificates without a clear rehabilitation plan, and in some cases, this can lead to workers taking more time off than necessary. By working closely with physiotherapists, companies can ensure that rehabilitation is tailored to the worker’s specific needs, ultimately reducing downtime and promoting a quicker, more effective recovery.
Moving Forward: A Better Way to Measure Safety
While LTIFR and TRIFR are common in health and safety reporting, they don't accurately reflect safety performance. Demolition companies should prioritise early reporting of discomfort, physiotherapy engagement, and proactive rehabilitation over these lagging metrics. This approach prevents minor discomfort from escalating into serious injuries and improves worker outcomes, without relying on outdated, flawed measures.
Encourage early reporting: Promote a culture where workers feel comfortable reporting discomfort or minor injuries as soon as they occur.
Involve physiotherapists early: Referring workers to physiotherapy early ensures faster recovery and helps reduce time off work.
Rehabilitation plans: Develop customised return-to-work plans for injured workers to gradually reintroduce them to duties, rather than relying on GP-issued medical leave.
Move away from lagging indicators: Shift the focus from injury rates like TRIFR and LTIFR to proactive injury management strategies that focus on health outcomes.
Final Words
Injury management in the demolition industry requires a departure from traditional safety metrics. LTIFR and TRIFR, while widely used, do not accurately reflect safety performance and can even contribute to a culture of non-reporting. Instead, a proactive approach—emphasising early reporting, timely physiotherapy intervention, and active engagement in rehabilitation—offers a more effective way to prevent and manage injuries.
For an industry as high-risk as demolition, focusing on injury management rather than injury statistics is crucial. Early intervention and rehabilitation not only reduce downtime but also improve overall worker health and safety, creating a safer and more productive workforce.
